This invention pertains to a blood sampling device and more particularly to apparatus which reduces the possibility of risk of contamination by diseased blood to the user.
The analyses of a patient's blood is an important tool used in diagnosis. The blood is drawn from the patient by the use of various syringe-type apparatus. Blood collection devices utilize a needle inserted into the vein of the patient, i.e. venipuncture, so as to draw the blood through the needle and into an associated collection reservoir.
In light of the recent AIDS problem, attention has been directed to the risk of contamination of the blood drawer/user due to contact with the blood of a diseased patient. Contamination may occur either through the user being punctured by a used needle upon its removal from the blood collection device and/or the splashing of the blood onto the user during such removal.
The use of various blood collection devices are common in the art. One device generally comprises a needle holder, a needle assembly and an evacuated blood collection tube. The needle assembly is threadably engageable with the needle holder and presents a front end for puncturing the vein of the patient and a rear end for insertion into an evacuated collection tube.
The evacuated tube causes the blood to be drawn from the patient, via the venipunctured front end, and discharged into the collection tube from the rear end. As the disposal of the used needle assembly requires manual handling by the user, the possibility of skin puncture and an undesired transfer of diseased blood into the user arises. Also, diseased blood may splash onto the user during removal.
In response thereto, I have invented a needle holder/needle assembly which eliminates the need for the user to manually handle the needle assembly subsequent to blood purging. My now preferred embodiments releasably connects/locks a biased needle assembly with the needle holder and blood collection tube. Subsequent to blood withdrawal, the user operates a locking mechanism so that the biased needle assembly is released/ejected from the needle holder. The released needle assembly may then be directed into a waste receptacle for subsequent disposal. Thus, the user does not manually handle the needle assembly subsequent to its use. I have herein disclosed various embodiments of locking and bias means utilized in connection with my invention.
It is therefor a primary object of this invention to provide for an improved blood collection device which reduces the risk of contamination to users.
Another general object of this invention is to provide for a blood collection device, as aforesaid, which particularly reduces the risk of contamination upon disposal of the utilized needle.
Still another general object of this invention is to provide for a blood collection device, as aforesaid, which precludes the need for the user to manually handle the needle assembly after use.
Another object of this invention is to provide a blood collection device, as aforesaid, which utilizes a needle assembly releasably engageable with a needle holder.
A further object of this invention is to provide a blood collection device, as aforesaid, which utilizes a bias on the needle assembly to urge removal of the needle assembly from the associated needle holder.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.